NZ First has chosen to put political game playing ahead of the safety of children by proposing a referendum on the ten year old amendments to the Crimes Act. NZ First MP Tracy Martin said on Q&A this morning that her Party wants to hold a binding referendum to repeal the 2007 amendment to section 59 of the Crimes Act. “I think it's appalling that NZ First is willing to remove a basic protection for our kids in the hope...

The OECD’s 2017 Economic Survey of the New Zealand has highlighted a significant need to green New Zealand’s economy if we want to sustain our current growth into the future, the Green Party said today. The OECD found that short-term growth was being driven by tourism, migration, and construction activity, however the longer term was being undermined by our low productivity, the pollution of water from farming and urbanisation, and high and growing greenhouse gas emissions. “Securing New Zealand’s long-term...

The Green Party is calling on Television New Zealand (TVNZ) to uphold its commitment to Māori programming and rethink their proposal to axe the dedicated Māori commissioner.

14 June 2017   The Government's dairy climate announcement is a small step in the right direction but lacks a serious commitment to actually reducing climate damaging pollution from the dairy industry, the Green Party said today. “Paula Bennett should have used today to set a firm date for when the dairy industry will need to start paying for the pollution it emits, just like other businesses have to in New Zealand,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw. “Instead, she...

Bill English’s apology for condemning illegal Israeli settlements shows that New Zealand will not have an independent foreign policy under a National-led Government, the Green Party said today Bill English is reported to have written a letter to Israeli officials saying that he regretted "the damage done to Israel-New Zealand relations as a result of New Zealand co-sponsoring Security Council resolution 2334". “The Prime Minister's decision to write and ‘express regret’ to Israel for condemning its illegal settlements shows that...

The Government should offer safe sleeping devices such as wahakura and pepi-pods to all new parents, not just a targeted few, the Green Party said today. Today, the Government announced that safe sleeping devices will be provided to some families as part of a new plan to reduce deaths from Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI). The Green Party has campaigned for universal access to wahakura since 2014. “We welcome National’s baby steps to provide some babies with a safe...

The Green Party supports protest action today at a mining company drill site on public conservation land at Karangahake. The protest started at 1PM today and is aiming to protect conservation land with high recreational values and a recovering forest ecosystem. Gold mining company New Talisman have a consent to drill and take bulk samples out of the area. “Karangahake is a much loved forested area for walking and cycling. It should not be mined,” said Green Party MP Catherine...

Fewer than 70 out of 11,645 New Zealand foreign trusts have reregistered under tougher new disclosure requirements with only three weeks left to go before the final deadline, the Green Party said today. Parliamentary questions lodged by the Green Party also show that IRD has proactively de-registered 1,797 foreign trusts since February (see below). “New disclosure requirements are finally shedding some light on this shady industry,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw. “New Zealand was gaining a damaging reputation as...

Nathan Guy must immediately order the removal of herbicide tolerant (HT) swedes from the market following new reports of cows experiencing ill-health after eating them, the Green Party said today. Dairy NZ today updated an advisory on its website about HT Swedes, saying “in 2017, there have been two farms experiencing ill-health with cows on swedes". In 2014 hundreds of dairy cows died in Southland from liver damage after eating swedes. “It's simple, HT swedes should be taken off the...

The Green Party is today acknowledging the people of Parihaka as they sign a reconciliation package with the Crown. A Crown delegation, including Green MPs, will be welcomed onto Parihaka today, where Minister for Treaty Negotiations Christopher Finlayson will read an apology to the people of Parihaka for past acts of aggression. “The Green Party sends our aroha and congratulations to all descendants of Parihaka on this historic day,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said. "Today is hugely significant for...